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5 unusual facts about Richard De Smet


John Vattanky

In order to grasp this and to develop his original view of it, the Advaida Vedanta of Sankara especially as interpreted by the late Richard De Smet has been very helpful to him.

Richard De Smet

He visited the Ramakrishna missions in various parts of the country, and also the Aurobindo Ashram at Pondicherry.

He was a frequent invitee to the Sivananda Ashram at Rishikesh, where he would lecture on Sankara and other topics, but also, on request, about Jesus and Christianity.

Over the years 1968-75, he composed his Guidelines in Indian Philosophy, cyclostyled notes for students beginning with the Ancient Indian Vedic period and going up to Sankara.

After an initially suspicious reception (a Dr Chubb roundly accused him of excessive missionary zeal at the Kandy session of the Indian Philosophical Congress in 1954), his competence and self-possession won the day and he soon found himself being invited to lecture or give courses at universities and colleges across the country.



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